DAY 51-2: SLAPJACK

Leda places a hand to her forehead, blocking the blinding sunset shining between the gaps of the branches above. They’ve been walking for the majority of the day now, so it makes sense that her exhaustion’s finally caught up to her. And considering how fast it’s getting dark, she can assume it’ll be nightfall soon.

“Orian.” Continuing their small talk, Leda scrutinizes the ground in case she hits one of the large tree roots in her path. The darker it gets, the tougher it is to keep track of her surroundings. “You said the Land of Edaps is the most refined kingdom in all of Annadia, right?”

“Yes,” he answers, holding up a branch for her to slink under. “I’ve never been there, but I’ve read a lot about the Land of Edaps. It’s always been a land enveloped by extraordinary prosperity and nature. The people—royal family included—are extremely friendly, and supportive, and are constantly full of happiness and vigour. It really is wonderful all around.”

She catches the broad smile that crosses his face, identical to every time he speaks about the suits.

“What about a prince?”

“The prince of Edaps...?”

“Yeah, there is one, right? No fairy tale is complete without. Tell me all you know about him.”

He has to ponder. “I... am incapable of that.”

“Aww. There isn’t one? Cute princes to fawn over would’ve been the icing to the cake of this fantasy world.”

Orian casts a meek smile. “I’d be incapable because there isn’t one. There are three. The current royal family in Edaps is very large.”

"Seriously?”

“However, as for the prince who is favoured most, I’m not entirely sure. The princes are always fighting for the recognition of their citizens.”

“Some brotherly rivalry?” Leda gazes dreamily at the mental image of three gorgeous princes that come to mind. “Wait, so the prince inheriting the title of ‘king’ isn’t always the first born son?”

“In Edaps, at least, they decide on the next king by the vote of the citizens. If they’re to have a ruler, it must be somebody the citizens wholly approve of. It’s been like that since ancient times.”

She hums. Interesting. “And our mission is to get any prince in line for the throne from these four kingdoms to agree with whatever’s written in the letters Rhett gave us? Oh, and bring them back to see him in Meisyr if we can.”

“Er. It doesn’t have to be the princes, exactly...”

“I hope they’re handsome...!”

“Um. I strongly believe their appearances are the least of Master Rhett’s concern... Uh, Master Leda. You’re drooling.”

She blinks to her senses and rubs the back of her hand over her mouth. “Whoops. Imagining them feeding me with top-notch cuisine and drowning me in riches got the better of me. I need to get a hold of myself. Before that, I have to figure out a way to con it out of them...”

“Con...?”

“I mean,” she says, flippantly, “our job of delivering these envelopes and negotiating aside, we can’t forget to make the most of this adventure. These rich kids must be swimming in luxury. Stealing from them will ensure a life of grandeur.”

Orian gapes with bulged eyes. “M-master! We cannot steal from the royal family!”

“It won’t be stealing if they don’t find out. ’Sides, I doubt those big shots will notice.”

“Take this seriously! We’re not thieves! We are doing this for the future of Meisyr!”

“Oh, come on, Orian. Imagine all the books they have stored at their palace libraries. Wouldn’t you at least want to read them to your heart’s content?”

He flinches. Then, after a torrent of conflicting thoughts, he twiddles his fingers. “Well, that...”

“Then, it’s settled. On top of asking them to give us a prince, we’ll convince them to supply us a bunch of food, maybe clothes and money, and a book or ten if we’re lucky. If they disagree, we’ll smuggle as much as we can anyway. Then we’ll move on to the next royal family to swindle them the same!”

She cackles loudly at the prospect all the while Orian shudders.

“Master Leda, sometimes you scare me...”

“You’ll get used to it.”

They amble into a clearing in the forest. Not the slightest sound echoes within the vegetation around her. It’s gotten too dark to see much of their surroundings, but thankfully, the trees encircling them have formed a path—the unusual fruits resting on their branches glowing amidst the deep of night like lanterns to guide them through.

Leda steps forward onto a patch of grass and cranes her neck up to the sky above. There are no stars. Just the typical midnight blue colour she’s gazed up at all her life. In fact, the moonlight spilling over them is identical to what Leda’s always known, except there’s a chunk missing from the moon.

There are limitless signs that this fantastical world is an illusion. Even now, it’s difficult to wrap her head around it all. It’s as if the life she’s been leading occurred centuries ago—no, that rather than this world, it is the one that’s an illusion.

“This realm never fails to amaze me.”

Orian turns his head down to her, quiet for a moment. “Is the sky different to yours?”

“On the contrary. It’s identical.” She props her hands on her hips. “Except, there’s no block missing from our moon like some giant got hungry and couldn’t wait for dinner.”

He chuckles. “The giants in Annadia are very gentle. They’d never cause destruction.”

Her eyes nearly bulge from their sockets. “Wait, giants exist here?”

“Yes. They reside in the south, near Dia.”

His confirmation causes a gleam of excitement to cross her face. “Giants, human-like animals, odd customs and glowing fruit... I ended up somewhere awesome, haven’t I?”

Orian sneaks a glance at the compass and map Rhett has supplied them, utilizing the faint light to his advantage. Seconds pass, but he remains silent, causing goosebumps to rise on Leda’s arms. More so, when he cautiously extends his hand in front of her.

“Orian?”

His head swivels left and right, red ears rotating in small jerks. Then, they fall flat on his head and he faces her. “Master Leda, why don’t we turn in for the night?”

It’s obvious his reaction isn’t one of exhaustion, but seeing as he is most familiar with this place and it’s been a tiring day, she has no choice but to comply. Orian crouches and places his palm to the ground. As always, his hand sinks right through the dirt, leaving a gaping hole in the grass.

He ascends to his feet and offers his hand. She scans it and the ground skeptically.

“Don’t tell me we’re going through there?”

He bobs his head. “It’ll lead us to a great camping spot I’ve spotted in the forest.”

She winds a step. “If we’re spending the night in the forest anyway, I’d rather much walk—”

The words don’t get the opportunity to leave her throat because Orian swipes his arm around her waist and they fall feet-first through the hole. She can’t help but holler and press her eyelids shut. The swift blow of wind is suffocating but in only an instant, it disappears. The floor returns as well. Her heart thunders against her ribcage, and she cautiously peeks to find herself gazing into Orian’s creepy mask. Puzzled, her eyebrows dart upwards. She whips her head furiously. They’re elsewhere. Unlike the space from earlier, here is broader and with flatter ground—the perfect campsite as Orian had mentioned.

The familiar event leaves her sputtering. “A hole... and now we’re... Wh-what the heck is with that strange ability?”

“Strange?” Puzzled, Orian releases his grip on her and retreats. “You mean my portals?”

So that’s what this is? “Wait. If you can make portals why don’t you just take us to the Land of Edaps using one?”

Orian beckons for Leda to take a seat. She relents and shakily presses her back against the firm wood of the tree behind her. A good distance away, he collapses on all four limbs as well.

“My ability has limitations, like everything else,” he says. “I can transport myself—and somebody else of a smaller, or equal mass to mine—to areas I’ve been to. And they can only be within a hundred-metre radius. Since the Land of Edaps is a trip of two days and I have never stepped foot there, we have no choice but to walk. Likewise, since Meisyr is now further than a hundred metres we can’t go back to spend the night there either.”

His head falls.

“I’m sorry for being so incompetent. I wish I can do more to help, Master Leda...”

His voice on the verge of tears socks her in the heart with guilt. “Oh, no! I didn’t mean to come off as ungrateful. It’s just... unexpected.”

He cocks his head to the side, and imagining he’s pouting beneath his mask melts her further.

“Y-you’re not mad?”

“Nowhere near.”

She slips off her bag and fetches the weirdly shaped canteen Nia had filled with water before they left. Orian remains in his spot, on both hands and feet, eyes behind his mask zeroed in on her.

She can’t help but grow self-conscious as he watches her take a sip. She screws the lid closed with a frown. “You sitting so far and watching me with that strange mask is a little unnerving.”

Orian stiffens. He scrambles to take off his mask, revealing his gorgeous face. “I apologize,” he says. “Would you prefer I admired you from up close instead?”

Leda doesn’t receive the opportunity to answer because Orian approaches and before she knows it there’s no room to escape.

Though he’s sitting oddly on both limbs, his sharp features are within a threatening proximity. His ears twitch, tail wagging behind him. With a broad smile, he closes his eyes, sniffing as if taking in a delicious scent. She gulps hard and backs further into the tree. Eventually, he opens his emerald-tinged eyes, locking them with hers.

“You humans truly are interesting, Master. And your scent... Are all your scents this hypnotizing?”

“Scent?” Her heart nearly leaps to her throat when he bends closer, bringing his nose to the crook of her neck. “O-Orian!?”

He flutters his eyelashes. As if zapped by lightning, he lurches away and backs into the tree he was originally at. “Ah, I apologize!”

She clasps her neck, pulse a frenzy.

Orian, spotting her discomfort, hangs his head, and whimpers like a scolded puppy.

“I-I’m merely curious,” he says. “Humans in Annadia are extremely rare, and it is believed if you encounter one good luck will follow. I-I know it’s presumptuous of me to say this, but... I’m want to know everything about you. Can you tell me?”

Orian’s straightforwardness always succeeds in leaving her speechless. She opens her mouth for a while before shutting it, ignoring the heat on her cheeks. He’s always so innocent, but his face is undoubtedly attractive. Having him so close is not good for her heart.

“You want to learn more about humans?” she asks to bury her embarrassment. “Look, I barely know anything about... you people. What are you called anyway?”

“The people in Annadia?” He pauses to think. “There are different classifications of the people depending where they live. There is no one term that unites our people, the way you call yourselves ‘humans.’ Everyone is different and scattered.”

“Is... that so?”

“Maybe that is why things have become so chaotic,” he goes on, solemnly. “Then again, it is also because of the jinx.”

Her lips meet as she recalls yesterday’s sight. “About that... What is this jinx all about?”

Orian isn’t particularly happy hearing her question. “The jinx... is our retribution.”

“Retribution...? For what?”

He hesitates, but moves his mouth regardless. “For—”

The ruffle of leaves behind her nearly gives her a heart attack. She swivels just as Orian yanks her backwards, and they’re both whooshed away by a rush of air. Orian manoeuvres around her so he hits the trees first, and her head painfully knocks against his jaw at the impact.

Disoriented, she opens her eyes as the dangerous flurry of wind whiplashes her cheeks, threatening to smoosh her like a slapjack.

The sight that greets her sucks the life out of her in one fell swoop.

Poking its large jaws out from the crushed pathway, the beast glows in the night. It’s larger than Leda can see, serpentine-like; a concrete grey colour mixed with a daylight blue. But before she can dare move her noodle legs and retreat, it turns its amber eyes to her, blinding her as successfully as a deer in headlights.

“H-holy crap.” She’s a gawking, shuddering mess. “I-It’s—”

“Th-the Northern Dragon.” Orian gently eases her off of him whilst massaging his jaw. The fear in his tone is smothering. “I-I knew I heard movement, and I purposely moved us away from it, but...”

“Northern...” As his words process in Leda’s head, her jaw falls to the ground. Dragon... As in, dragons?! They had dragons in Annadia?

It’s a thought that shouldn’t have surprised her, yet it did just that.

Great, she curses, paralyzed with fear. Maybe this journey isn’t going to be as easy as she thought.